Photo credit: NASA/JPL

The planets in astrology represent action. They symbolize the forces in life which make things happen. The signs of the zodiac show the qualities of what is happening. The horoscope's houses show the areas of life where the activity manifests. But the planets – the central figures in the astrological drama – show the energies and forces which actually bring things about.

Each planet represents a different life-force or "function of consciousness." Each planet has its own cycle around the zodiac, which shows an overall process of growth or evolution. And perhaps most importantly, the planets interact with one another through the "aspects" or angles that they form with one another. These aspects show how the various personality functions work in harmony or in conflict.

Astrologically, both the Sun and the Moon are referred to as "planets," even though we know they are not. This is because, when viewed from the earth, their motions are similar to those of the planets. And because of this, they symbolize astrologically the same type of energies as the planets do.

Follow along through our slideshow about the planets to learn a little about their astrological meanings.